Boys at Mahanoy Area school must ask for toilet paper

Vandalism in Mahanoy Area High School boys' bathrooms has caused toilet paper to be issued by request as needed, a policy that one parent believes is embarrassing for students.

Karen Yedsena of Mahanoy City spoke during the public portion of Thursday's school board meeting, asking why boys at the high school can't have toilet paper unless they go to the nurse or the office to get it.

Due to vandalism at the high school, any boy who needs bathroom tissue must ask for it and sign it out.

Principal Thomas Smith said it was a solution to a major problem.

"We've had serious destruction to our bathrooms for the past two years," said Smith. "We have a case pending with the police where a bathroom down by our gymnasium was absolutely destroyed. I'm sure Mr. (Robert) Pastucha (district facilities director) could tell you the times that our toilets have been jammed with toilet paper and other papers. And after we took the toilet tissue out of there, people were throwing books. It was our way to try to curb the destruction in the bathrooms."

Smith explained the procedure in getting the toilet tissue.

"Our policy is that if you need toilet paper, you would come to the office. We're not refusing anyone toilet paper," said Smith. "You would sign out and then sign back in. I randomly go in to check if anything is going on. Since we've done that, we've cut down on the destruction."

Yedsena said there are students who have been embarrassed to go to the office for toilet paper and instead would go to the nurse saying they're not feeling well and go home instead. Smith said he was unaware of any such problem from the monthly reports from the nurse.

"I think it's been pretty much accepted," said district Superintendent Joie Green.

"Well, it's not," said Yedsena.

Yedsena also asked about the restrictions that students can only go to the bathroom during the first five minutes of a class.

"We're cutting down on people walking through the hallways for no reason," said Green. "We're trying to do is that they're going to the bathroom at the beginning and end of class."

Yedsena asked if the toilet paper policy could be changed, to which Smith said it could.

"I'm not against putting toilet paper back in (the boys bathrooms). I could do that, but if there's destruction to the bathroom, then it would go back to my policy," said Smith.

Board member Julie Fazio asked Yedsena, "What happens if we put the toilet paper back in the bathroom and your son is in the bathroom and two other kids come in and destroy the bathroom? And then we find out your child was in bathroom at that time?"

The policy was set by Smith as principal of the high school. The elementary and middle schools do not have a similar policy.

Smith told Yedsena that he would be willing to speak with her about the matter during a school day.

Alcohol survey

In other business, the school board gave approval for a survey be conducted by the Schuylkill County Drug and Alcohol Program to measure the attitudes and acceptance of alcohol use with 11th- and 12th-grade students.

The results from the survey will be used by the program's junior advisory board to assist in the planning and development of alcohol awareness/prevention initiatives in the county. Permission slips will be given to students for parents to sign.

After the meeting, Smith said the surveys are conducted annually, but need to be approved by the school board each year.

Fundraisers

During his liaison report on the Mahanoy City Public Library, board member Michael Mistishen said the library is holding a used book sale. He said there are tables filled with books available at a very low cost.

Green said the school held a dress-down day to raise money for Sandy Hook Elementary School, where 26 people, including 20 students, were killed by a gunman on Dec. 14. She said $925 was raised and will be forwarded to the school.

jusalis@republicanherald.com

We welcome user discussion on our site, under the following guidelines:

To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.

Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.

Not long ago, homelessness was unheard of in the Hazleton area. Rents and the cost of homes were low and almost universally affordable; families routinely found rooms for poor relatives in basements, attics or other small household areas. However, today’s
(read more)